


Unwavering Emotions

by Lafrenze



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Bittersweet, Friendship/Love, Gen, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:09:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2114562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lafrenze/pseuds/Lafrenze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing changed between you and N. He ran and you chased, like the moon after the sun. Maybe one day you'd finally catch up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unwavering Emotions

**Author's Note:**

> I know I'm supposed to be working on Daily Dose, not that it's been _daily_ for ages, and Wonderful World, but I had a friend stay over for a week and when I got back the heat dried up all my motivation. The motivation for this came from watching Marriland's Black 2 Wedlocke run. It got me all inspired to finish this little thing this morning. I'll try and have something for the others, especially WW, tonight or early tomorrow.

_“As long as Pokemon are confined in Poke Balls... Pokemon will never become perfect beings. I have to change the world for Pokemon, because they're my friends.”_

Those were the last words that the stranger said before walking off. No, not a stranger. His name was N, which you would admit to thinking was a little odd. Maybe it was a nickname. Actually it probably was, you decided. But even as you turned to talk to Cheren, something in you remained fixated on something that N said in the battle. It was just as Cheren was ready to leave for Striaton City that you mustered up the courage to ask.

“What do you think he meant when he said that he didn't expect Pokemon to say what he heard?”

“What? That N person?” he asked and you nodded. “Probably nothing, a figure of speech. I wouldn't put much stock in it.” With that the two of you said your farewells as he made his way out of town.

You, however, still had things you wanted to do while you were here in Accumula Town. Before getting sidetracked, you hoped to explore the town. This was your first time away from Nuvema and you wanted to take your time and see everything you possibly could. When you, too, finally left for Striaton, you wondered if you would run into N again on your journey.

\---

_“Now I know what power I need. Zekrom! The legendary Pokemon that, along with the hero, created the Unova region. It's my turn to become that hero-- and you and I will be friends!”_

You weren't exactly sure what to think as N ran off, again, after bumping into him outside the Nacrene City Gym. Zekrom? Hero? In the back of your mind you remembered hearing about them once, maybe twice, as a child. It wasn't the kind of thing people talked about much. But you did know about the legend of the dragons and their heroes. 

What you found funny, in hindsight, was how normal that seemed at the time. It didn't feel strange that he sought Zekrom's power, especially in the face of everything he kept saying about Pokemon becoming perfect beings. You didn't understand that in the slightest, what exactly would make a Pokemon perfect anyway? No, the thing you found strange, and not in a bad way, was that N had expressed such a desire to be friends.

Even if you didn't understand, that was okay. There was always time to learn about what others have to say. If nothing else, you were looking forward to becoming friends with him too.

\---

_“You're quite strong. But I have a future that I must change. And, for that future... I'll defeat the Champion and become unbeatable, unlike any other! I'll make all Trainers free their Pokemon! Just try and stop me! If you want to be together with Pokemon, your only hope is to collect the Badges from each area and head for the Pokemon League! Try and stop me there, if you dare! If your conviction is not strong enough, you will never be able to defeat me.”_

For once, you actually wanted to chase N down, stop him and ask what he meant, what was going on, but your feet felt frozen to the ground. There's no way you heard him right, no way you just saw what you did. He was the king of Team Plasma? Was that somehow worse than the thought of being forced to send away your beloved Pokemon? You felt like you were even more in the dark now than you ever were. Trainers and their Pokemon were friends, partners even. It was inevitable that some people would treat their Pokemon badly, but it was the duty of everyone to stop those people at all costs. Humans and Pokemon needed each other, didn't they?

Thinking about it reminded you that you needed to go heal your team at the Pokemon Center. The battle with N took a toll on your Pokemon. As you walked towards the exit of the amusement park, you felt a little sick. You thought he wanted to be friends, but you couldn't let him go through with his plan. There had to be a better way, for both of you.

\---

_“You're saying I should just allow people to think whatever they want and treat Pokemon however they want, no matter whether the Pokemon suffer? I refuse to tolerate the existence of a world like that!”_

The words echoed in your head, even though N was long gone and you weren't even near Chargestone Cave. You had set up camp for the night, not having the energy to finish the trip to Mistralton City. You kept up a good front while Bianca and Professor Juniper were around, but now that you were alone it crumbled. You always thought you were a quick learner; anything you put your mind to you accomplished. So why did you feel so helpless? What did N mean when he said you were chosen? Chosen for what, and why? What did your having, or not having, a dream change?

Doubt overtook you, and you pulled your knees to your chest and buried your face in your arms as you began to cry. The thought that you might actually be hurting or harming your Pokemon was almost as painful as the thought of never seeing them again. All you wanted when you left home was to explore and make friends. You didn't want to save the world, become a hero, or anything like that. You didn't even really care about beating the Champion, not like Cheren cared. Neither did you really pine after direction, like Bianca. Life would take you where it would, and before today that had always been enough for you.

\---

_“As a result... Pokemon and Trainers who care about one another, like you and your Pokemon, will be separated. And that does break my heart a little.”_

After your visit to the Celestial Tower, you found that this didn't hurt quite like it might have. You weren't going to fail. Hero or not, N was only another person. Hero or not, you refused to let your friends down in defending them. As he ran off, you made your way to the Pokemon Center. Two badges stood between you and the Pokemon League. You would meet N there on that stage to stop him and Team Plasma. You would show him that Pokemon were perfect as they are, that they stayed willingly with their Trainers. You would tell him that there was nothing between you and him to keep you from being friends.

Really, looking back, there never was anything between you in the first place. Your strength came from the same source, and even though you walked two separate paths, they both led to the same place.

\---

_“Well, what will you do? My prediction... If the future that I see is true, you will meet Reshiram. The Pokemon with you believe in you so strongly... Will you be the one who interferes with my formula for changing the world? If you want to protect the bonds between Pokemon and people, you must search for Reshiram! I'm sure it is waiting for you in the form of the Light Stone.”_

Why were you so slow? Now that N had Zekrom, he was off directly to the Pokemon League, and you needed both the Legend Badge and the Light Stone. Even then, you needed to summon Reshiram and pass through Victory Road. You were running out of time. You absolutely, no questions asked, needed to catch up to N. He couldn't become the Champion. If Alder thought the Relic Castle was your best bet, then you knew where you had to be.

\---

_“What has just appeared is Team Plasma's castle. The king's words will resound from the heights to all below. You must come to the castle, as well. Everything will be decided there. Whether Pokemon will be liberated from people, or whether Pokemon and people will live together… We will see whose belief is stronger... And our result will change the world.”_

You grit your teeth as N entered the castle that had overtaken the League building. Even after finding the Light Stone, racing to Opelucid City, beating Drayden, running through Victory Road faster than anyone thought possible, and beating the Elite Four in what was probably record time, you were still too late. It was supposed to be you who beat Alder and faced N here. That's what needed to happen, and all without Reshiram.

While it was true that you found the Light Stone, just as N asked of you, you had no idea how to summon the dragon within. You couldn't let that hold you back. With or without the legendary dragon, N was going to force everyone to release their precious Pokemon if someone didn't stop him. Not one of the Elite Four were able, Alder the Champion fell short, which left only you.

You refused to fail here.

\---

_“Now, I will create the future I desire! I shall sweep you before me!”_

As you sent out Reshiram, whom had only just acknowledged you as a hero in your own right, you stood tall. This was the moment you have been fighting towards. Your friendship, all of them in reality, hinged on this battle.

\---

_“Dream your dream! Follow the path of truth to make that dream a reality, and someday you will achieve all that you dreamed of! Well, then... Farewell! ”_

He was gone. Sitting in the ruined throne room of the dead silent castle all alone it was hard to believe. Ghetsis and the Seven Sages had been taken care of, and your friends and the Gym Leaders were gone from the castle proper. Only you remained. For the first time in a long while, the impulse to chase after N as he flew off was absent in you. When had you ever been able to catch up to him? Just as he fell short in trying to overcome you and your Pokemon, you fell short behind him. He was always one step ahead of you, and in the moment it wasn't worth the chase. Perhaps you'd follow after in the morning. If this was the way things would remain between you for now, you could live with that.

He would go before you, ideals in his eyes, and you would follow faithfully, your path made straight and true. It's not what you wanted, but you'd take what you could get. There were plenty of tomorrows ahead to make things change.


End file.
